


A Hot Winter's Night

by savagebinn



Series: Café Enchanté R18 Patch [2]
Category: Café Enchanté (Visual Novel)
Genre: Dominance, F/M, First Time, Fluff and Smut, Interspecies Awkwardness, Interspecies Romance, Knotting, Non-Human Genitalia, Post-Canon, Rough Sex, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:28:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28150152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/savagebinn/pseuds/savagebinn
Summary: Over a month has passed since the great showdown in Bestia, and while Vanar may have been defeated, Ignis finds himself tormented by a hunger of a different sort. When the non-human and barista pay a visit to his old frozen home, beasts young and old are all too eager to lend a helping paw. A steamy continuation of our favorite hotheaded firewolf's route!
Relationships: Awaki Kotone/Ignis Carbunculus
Series: Café Enchanté R18 Patch [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2023777
Comments: 13
Kudos: 41





	A Hot Winter's Night

Ignis trudged irritably through the thick snow, urged on by the smaller beasts currently pulling at his hands.

"I still don't see why you can't just live here," the albino rabbit girl continued in her usual haughty tone, "Vanar's dead, and if he shows his ugly muzzle again, Kotone can just put him in his place."

Said woman couldn't help but chuckle behind them at her remark. Over a month had passed since Vanar's awakening and subsequent defeat, and evidence of the great wolf's rampage was still visible, from gigantic claw marks along icy canyons, to the newly-formed lake where it all came to a head. Despite their contrasting personalities, the fox boy and rabbit girl who were first to help in the battle had become fast friends, and helped facilitate the recent merger of their clans. While life in the frozen world Bestia remained harsh, their new alliance, coupled with the decrease in violence among different species, was quickly paving the way for a new, more peaceful era that, despite their many protests, Ignis refused to be a part of.

"Can it, ears. We've been over this a million times, and the answer's still no."

"Hmph! Suit yourself," she huffed, holding her whiskered nose skyward while both Kotone and the fox boy let out small giggles.

While Kotone had always packed several hearty, meat-laden portions for the firewolf, due to his stubborn refusal to eat anything since the incident, her load was considerably lighter this time around; just a meal for herself and some teas from the café. While she knew other Bestians couldn't consume anything substantive, if Dromi had been any indication, they could still drink small amounts. Between the fox boy saving her life, the rabbit girl's assistance in the final battle, and how welcoming their tribes had been to her ever since, she wanted to express her gratitude somehow.

A cold gust of wind stung her cheek, causing the protective beast pelt to flutter around her shoulders as she shivered. Even with its seemingly-magical protection, it was still far colder than the average winter in the human realm, and she let out a shiver as she readjusted it.

"Oi, Kotone, you doin' alright back there?" Ignis called back to her, looking over his shoulder and halting his two eager escorts in their tracks.

"Oh, I'm fine! I still haven't quite gotten used to the climate here, I guess," she assured, but the redhead didn't seem satisfied. Without asking and before she had time to fully process what was happening, Kotone found herself scooped up effortlessly into his muscular arms before the three beasts continued their trek as if nothing had happened.

"I-Ignis?!" she sputtered, squirming within his grasp.

"What?"

"I'm perfectly capable of walking on my own. There's no need-"

"Don't gimme that bull. I could hear your teeth chatterin'. Plus, it's faster this way," he interjected with a grin that showed his fangs, cutting her off and leaving no room for argument as Enchanté's owner resigned herself with a sigh and flushed cheeks. His body was much warmer than the fur blanket; the heat of his arms and chest seemed to seep pleasantly into her right down to the bone, ceasing her shivering and returning sensation to her toes and fingers. Were it not for their young escorts, she'd have been tempted to bury her face in that broad, welcoming chest. Instead, she attempted to distract herself by looking out at the seemingly-endless expanse of pure white snow.

The orange fox boy's eyes had settled curiously on the pair, and he observed them quietly for a while as they walked before speaking hesitantly.

"Say, Ignis? Isn't Kotone your mate?"

"That's, er..." he stammered, looking suddenly uncomfortable, and his human companion couldn't help but feel a little hurt at his hesitant reaction.

"Obviously not, dummy," the rabbit girl interjected, "You can tell she isn't marked, so why bother asking? Honestly, read the room for once."

Kotone narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the exchange. "What do you mean by 'marked'?"

"WHOA, HEY, I CAN SEE THE VILLAGE!" Ignis interrupted loudly, bonking each child on the tops of their heads with his fists in warning before speeding off ahead as they rubbed their furry skulls.

* * *

"Kyuu!"

The energetic pup was the first and most enthusiastic to greet the visitors, immediately rolling out and giving Ignis a hearty headbutt straight to the gut.

 _"Ow!_ Dammit, I know it's an affection thing, but I'll never get used to that," he muttered, setting Kotone down and rubbing the small welt left on his abdomen.

"Hehe. It's good to see you again, Kororo! Is your family doing well?" the human asked, crouching down to snuggle the baby sea demon.

"Kyuukukyuu!" he replied in what she could only assume was pakus for 'yes' considering the bright smile on his whiskered face. Though Enchanté's adorable mascot had been dearly missed, the knowledge that he was now thriving among his own kind far outweighed any sense of loss, and the little seal was always the first to greet them when they neared the village during these visits.

"Finally back for good this time, Ignis?"

A small group of fox and rabbit beasts had surrounded them by this point, the elders welcoming the pair cheerfully while the youngsters tugged at Kotone's coat, eagerly asking if she'd brought any new 'treasures' from the human world. The magazine she'd just happened to have on her last time had been so well received that the brunette made a day of scouring her local bookstore with Canus and Misyr for any picture-heavy books they might enjoy.

"Hmmm. Did I...?" she feigned ignorance, tapping a gloved finger to her chin while the circle of Bestian children's tails twitched and paws shuffled on the snow in anticipation before she finally smirked, producing a book from her tote bag, "Hehe. Of course I did!"

"Woah..." the beast at the center of the circle, a tiny rabbit boy with a patch over his eye, gaped in awe at the nature magazine that was placed in his tiny paws as if it were made of gold. It had a beautiful desert landscape with camels and pyramids spanning across the cover, and the surrounding youngsters immediately swarmed him, squishing him within a frenzied, furry pile as they competed for a better look at its contents.

"Lemme see!"

"No way! You got to look at the may-gaa-zeen thingy last time! Give it here!"

Kotone chuckled, raising her hand. "Hold on now, no fighting. I have plenty more in here, so just be patient."

Ignis had mostly stopped listening to his own group by this point as he observed the scene unfolding between the human and young villagers. For some reason, the sight of her surrounded by little ones stirred a strange, primal feeling within him; a shameful hunger of a different sort he'd been trying to suppress since Vanar's defeat.

"Ignis?"

The village elder's concerned voice snapped him out of his trance.

"Ah, right... wait, what?"

The wrinkled gray fox blinked in confusion before continuing.

"I said, we were wondering when you planned to return? Those brutes haven't been about, so it's been relatively peaceful, but your presence would be a comfort nonetheless."

"Sorry, old man. My place's in the human world now. Besides, you guys're doin' just fine by the looks of things."

The current settlement, while still humble in appearance, was much livelier than the silent huts he was accustomed to seeing. Fox and rabbit beasts of all ages were walking about, working on new structures and chatting leisurely with one another, and perhaps most surprisingly of all, a small group of pakus, the once-elusive sea demons notorious for their secretive existence hidden beneath the depths, could be seen snoozing otop the ice near a small, round hole they'd apparently created for easy access to the village. The dream he'd fought so hard for was taking shape before his eyes.

The elder fox smiled as he looked over the firewolf. Though disappointed, he could tell his mind was set, and didn't push the issue further. Instead, he posed another question.

"And it's all for that human, huh? Still can't say I understand it. Well, in any case, you'd better mark her qui- _YIP?!"_

He was cut off as Ignis grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, dragging him behind a nearby igloo and looming over the shivering beast threateningly.

"No more talkin' about this 'markin'' shit! The human world isn't like here; you can't just grab whoever catches your eye, shout 'dibs' and pounce on 'em! Humans are sensitive about that stuff, and Kotone's important, no, _the most important_ thing to me, so you furballs better not screw it up with your 'help'! _Got it?!"_

"G-got it!" the vulpine yelped pathetically through frantic nods.

Ignis narrowed his eyes, giving a final warning growl before releasing his grip. The petrified demon beast slid down the side of the igloo, still clutching his chest in disbelief.

"I think I just saw my life flash before my eyes. Boy's as hotheaded as ever."

As Ignis rounded the corner, he was met with a familiar, plump little creature staring up at him with innocent eyes.

"Ko.. to... ne... Ig... nis! Mark!"

"Oh that's just great, old man! Now you got him started!"

"Mark! Mark! Mark!" the pakus repeated, rolling around the ice obliviously before Ignis knelt on the balls of his feet beside him.

"Kororo, please, for your old buddy, don't say that word around kotone? PLEASE. I'M LITERALLY BEGGIN' HERE."

"Kyu...?"

The tiny non-human slowed to a halt, cocking his horned head to the side at the firewolf's desperate plea. While they'd played a critical role in Vanar's defeat, the sea beast's exact level of sentience remained something of a mystery. Barring that one strange incident in the ice shrine, he'd only occasionally parrot words here and there. Normally the behavior warranted praise, but in this case, the pup had chosen the absolute worst time to do so.

"Mark?"

Ignis firmly shook his head, desperately raising a finger to his mouth in a shushing motion he prayed was universal. A few tense moments passed as those big blue eyes studied him intently, before finally, to his immense relief, the pakus raised his flipper to his own snout uncertainly.

"Kyu?"

"Yes! YES! Good! Good boy, Kororo!"

"Kyukyu **ky _uuu!"_** the pup beamed at his praise, adorning the were-beast's abdomen with his second welt of the day.

"Oww! Dammit!"

* * *

A few hours passed without further incident. From what they could tell beneath Bestia's perpetually-cloudy sky, it was sunset, and with permission from the elders, a small fire was lit in the center of the village. Kotone was seated close to the modest flame with several of the youngest residents huddled around her, the smallest of which, kororo and the patched rabbit, had made themselves comfortable in her lap while she read aloud the text they could not.

"But I don't get it; who's _pulling_ the car?"

"Hehe, nobody! It runs on gasoline. Well, some are electric now."

"What's ga-so-leen?" a black fox interjected, his whiskers wiggling comically as he attempted to pronounce the foreign term.

"It's a bit like... Hmm," she pondered. Since normal Bestians didn't get nourishment from food, her usual go-to analogy wouldn't work with these children, but her eyes lit up when they settled on the fire, "This fire! It needs oil to burn, right? It's the same with cars and gasoline. Just like the fire goes out when the oil is gone, the car stops moving once the gasoline runs out."

It was a highly simplified explanation that left some things out, but it seemed to work as the children shifted their seemingly-endless line of questioning.

"Then, where does Ignis's fire come from?"

"He got it from the other beasts he ate!" a lop-eared rabbit girl chimed in, sounding far too innocent and cheerful for a topic so morbid, as though she were reciting a fairy tale, and not the very real, gruesome event that transpired not long ago in their world.

"That's, um, probably something you'd have better luck asking the elders about..." she replied uncomfortably.

Despite their animalistic appearances, they truly were still children at heart, and Kotone couldn't help but envy their innocence just a bit. While this little group may have been too young to process it, the trauma of that night was still very real to both Kotone and Ignis. Fortunately for her, their attention spans didn't seem to linger on one topic for long, and an older, orange fox child, with his face partially covered by a thick hood, appeared bearing a small, steaming cup. She immediately recognized him as the kind-but-taciturn boy who'd saved her after Dromi dragged her through the gate, intending to leave the barista to an icy death.

"This tea... It makes my tongue tingle..." he spoke hesitantly.

"It's ginger, so it has a little kick to it. Maybe you'd like something more mellow? I brought a few different blends."

He shuffled his paws, a light blush dusting his furry cheeks. "Oh, n-no, I was just wondering if maybe... Could you bring some more next time? Only if it's not any trouble."

Since he was the one she was most indebted to of the bunch, Kotone couldn't have looked happier as she replied. "You bet! I'm glad to hear you like it!"

The shy boy nodded with a relieved, gentle smile before the group returned to questioning their visitor from another world.

Unbeknownst to them, a certain were-beast was listening in on their banter, his pointed ears twitching occasionally. With their situation clear to all in this world and Kotone none the wiser, he felt awkward being near her, yet desperate to keep her close for the same reason. He'd always known their kind could tell a mated pair by scent; what he hadn't expected was all the attention it had drawn. It wasn't as though he hadn't thought of it himself, in fact, these days it had grown increasingly difficult not to imagine himself pinning her down, biting her neck and making every inch of Enchanté's owner his. The fact that, to other beasts, she was considered 'available' made his lips curl into a snarl. Not that they would dare. He may have put his murderous past behind him, but that didn't mean he wouldn't beat any pursuers within an inch of their lives. Fortunately, for the time being at least, they seemed to view the human as more of a curiosity than anything else.

"I don't care about this world's stupid laws. She's _**mine,**_ dammit."

"Ignis! Hey! Hey, Ignis!"

The man in question bristled momentarily upon hearing his name, and looked down to see a young white fox girl eagerly holding up one of the books Kotone had brought.

"Look, look! There's a mountain with faces on it, and these weird giant green things! Have you been to these places in the human world?! Is it scary?! What's it smell like?!"

He let out a small sigh of relief that, unlike seemingly every other beast, the rapid bombardment of questions from this little one did not include his relationship status, and dawned his usual confident smirk.

"Haven't seen any mountains yet, but those are trees, and they're everywhere over there, almost as common as ice is here. There's also huge, metal towers that reach as high as the clouds-"

He went on to explain about the mysterious world that so fascinated the timid beasts, but none had yet dared to explore for themselves. The original fox and rabbit they'd met before Vanar's awakening had only just plucked up the courage to visit Enchanté, but the rest still wouldn't even set foot near the gate.

"-as for the scents, there's so **many** of 'em it made my head spin at first. You get used to it, though."

"Ayyy, Ignis!"

The grating voice of yet another fox, this one male and around his age, put a halt to their discussion.

"Listen, man, I heard about your little, ah, _problem,_ and look, you didn't hear it from me, but these rabbit women? Hoo boy. You wouldn't think it by lookin' at 'em, but they're _crazy_ aggressive. I mean these poor fox fellas been gettin' straight up _dragged_ into their igloos! Not that we're complainin'. Anyway, point is, you got a lotta admirers here, so if things don't work out with the human, remember you always got a place here, yeah?" he ended with a hint of sympathy, patting the mortified non-human on the back with his paw.

"You alright, man?"

"I'm gonna fuckin' incinerate this village."

"Uh. What was that...?"

"I said I'm goin' for a walk!"

* * *

The redhead circled the outskirts of the village for the umpteenth time, the tip of his fiery tail whipping about irritably. In his distress, he'd created a trail of partially-melted footprints behind him, leaving a conspicuous path for a certain barista to easily follow.

"Is everything okay, Ignis?"

A familiar, concerned voice stopped him in his tracks and wiped the scowl from his face he hadn't realized had been there.

"Oh, Kotone. Nah, it's all good," he reassured, reddening slightly as he felt a pair of arms wrap around his middle from behind.

"Are you sure? You've seemed a little glum since we got here. I know I was the one who asked for this, but Ignis, if it's too much for you to handle, we don't have to come back so soon. I'm really sorry if I was too pushy..."

He smiled, placing a large, calloused hand over her smaller one as he was reminded of just how insanely lucky he was. She was so sweet. Far too sweet to be dragged into the day's nonsense. He turned around in her grasp to look her over. Her warm, brown eyes were so gentle and kind; after all they'd been through, all _he'd_ put her through, they didn't hold a trace of fear, only pure, unfettered love for him. His gaze lowered to her lips, which had taken on a slight purple hue from the cold, producing small puffs of visible air that evaporated into the bitter night.

"Heh. You might be a warrior on the inside, but you humans are so damn fragile," Ignis murmured lovingly, giving her lower lip a playful nibble before drawing her in.

The relief Kotone felt as his burly form embraced her was instant. He leaned his head against the top of her own and wrapped his tail around her. Though the bright, flickering parts of his body looked and moved like flames, surprisingly, they did not burn her. Perhaps they were similar to Il's halo, or the mysterious light that radiated from Canus's neck. Whatever the case, she was grateful to be able to touch her beloved beast without worry.

As the two enjoyed their moment alone, Kotone noticed the man above her had taken to sniffing rather intently behind her ear, creating a warm, ticklish sensation that made her giggle until a low, barely-audible growl rumbled deep within the firewolf's chest, and the brunette cocked her head to the side curiously.

"Ignis? What are you doing?"

"Huh?!" said beast jolted back immediately in a panic, only adding to her confusion.

"Are you _sure_ you don't need to go home? You're acting very... odd."

"No I'm not! I'm fine, got it?! I was just, ya know, enjoyin' the moment."

He was anything but fine. In truth, this was not a new issue. For weeks now the Bestian had been struggling to suppress these frightening urges. While the desire to consume her flesh thankfully hadn't returned, a new compulsion seemed to have taken its place. Her scent, that irresistible, maddening aroma, was a constant source of torment. At first, he'd sought relief the way most young men would: in the privacy of his room, while Canus was away and Enchanté's master and other patrons were asleep, but it wasn't enough. Nothing was enough, and the idea of accidentally hurting her, or worse, reawakening Vanar, terrified Ignis to his core.

_**"Eeeek!"** _

A sudden, high-pitched shriek was heard, and Ignis immediately jumped into action, urging the human woman down behind a snow bank before sprinting off in the direction the sound came from.

"Stay there, and keep your head down!"

Kotone nodded, ducking down immediately and peeking out to observe the terrifying scene unfolding in the distance. A minotaur was fast approaching a lone black and white rabbit near the entrance to the village. While too far away to make out their expressions, the tiny lagomorph appeared to be frozen in fear, as it wasn't moving.

"Not so fast, meat brains! Why don't ya pick on someone your own size?!" Ignis howled, leaping out and landing a vicious blow to the red beast's muscular torso, sending it crashing to the snowy ground before it could reach its target. He was on the large creature before it could get up, grabbing it by the horns and moving to drag it a safe distance from the village before a furious female voice cut through the night air.

"GET OFF OF HIM, YOU MANGY MUTT! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"

Ignis blinked in confusion before barking back. "What the hell are you talkin' about?! He was attackin' you!"

"He was doing no such thing! This is my mate, and you owe him an apology. **Now."**

"I-it's okay, honey. His heart was, _ngh!_ in the right place," he grunted, rubbing his swollen side, "Heheh. I see you still pack a nasty punch, Ignis."

"...HUH?!"

The were-beast's jaw practically dropped to the floor in disbelief as the rabbit rushed past him to the minotaur's side.

"You're injured..." she spoke shakily through tearful eyes.

The giant red bull gently patted the back of her fluffy head while the small rabbit gave her would-be savior the most impressive stink eye he'd ever seen.

* * *

"So the minotaurs are a part of the alliance now, too?" Kotone asked, wide-eyed at the sight of the village healer tending to the hulking creature that looked out of place among the rest.

"Unfortunately, no. This fellow here's an exception, I guess you could say," the elderly rabbit, whose eyes were hidden beneath thick white eyebrows, explained as he rubbed a salve into the minotaur's wound.

The horned behemoth nodded. "Hate to say it, but at first, I _was_ one of those thugs. I did terrible things I can never take back, but after seeing what you all did that night, I can't explain it, but it changed something in me. Made me question a lot of things."

"I don't get it. I thought minotaurs were just bloodthirsty beasts," Ignis spoke in a low voice, sounding almost frustrated.

"HAH! Well, you're not entirely wrong. We're a rowdy bunch by nature, but we got as much free will as anyone else. In my case, this little firecracker here's what sealed the deal," he spoke with a note of tenderness in his gravely voice, leaning down to nuzzle the rabbit Ignis had tried to 'save' earlier, "But hey, I don't need to tell you of all beasts about that, eh?"

The beast in question pursed his lips pensively, a single fang poking out against the jagged line as he continued quietly observing the odd pair. The little rabbit woman barely reached her mate's thighs. He could snap the frail creature in half with ease, but as she yanked on the hulking bovine's nose ring, scolding him about how worried she was, it was as if none of that mattered. The bizarre scene unfolding before him completely subverted everything Ignis had come to know of this world, and he wasn't sure how to feel about it.

"I'm surprised we didn't spot you earlier, though? With all due respect, you're kind of hard to miss," Kotone noted with a look of befuddlement.

"Aye. Since I'm the only one who can hold their own against my kind, and I travel faster, I leave the village sometimes for reconnaissance missions. I just got back when wolfy here clobbered me," he explained with a chuckle, leaving Ignis with a sharp twinge of guilt, "Fortunately most of 'em lost interest in quarrelin' since the big showdown. Mainly keep to their own these days."

"Which is all the more reason for you to stay here, ya great lummox!" the black and white rabbit scolded.

Kotone couldn't help smiling at the two as she ate the small dinner she'd packed for herself. The minotaur and his mate eventually settled down by the fire with the rest of the villagers, and as the evening wore on, beasts slowly began retiring to their igloos for the night. Kororo's parents had summoned him back to the sea, and the young group who'd spent the day practically clinging to their human visitor were all long asleep. The barista's eyelids grew heavy, and while she hadn't realized she'd been leaning drowsily against Ignis for some time, a certain familiar fox boy had taken notice of her fatigue.

"Ignis, we prepared a spare hut for you two. It's getting pretty late, and Kotone looks tired, so it's probably safer for you guys to stay the night."

* * *

Ignis sat in the far corner of the icy hut, fidgeting uneasily while the flames on his head and tail wavered with his racing thoughts. While his human companion seemed to have no issue sharing their shelter for the night, calmly setting her things down and spreading out the beast pelt atop the single large cot, the redhead felt like his heart could burst out of his chest at any moment. He'd been hesitant to even join her at all, but was practically shoved through the doorway by the group of Bestians that hadn't retired themselves yet, including the minotaur and his mate, as well as the children who led them to the village. They'd ushered him in with winks, thumbs up, and in the case of a few less-tactful beasts, lewd hand gestures, leaving the firewolf no room for escape without rousing Kotone's suspicion.

"Ignis?"

"Yeah?!" he called back louder than intended, his back and tail straightening comically at the sound of her voice.

"Aren't you coming to bed? It's nearly midnight," she asked, already wrapped within the thick blankets. Though her cellphone didn't get reception in this world, as long as it had power, its clock function still worked.

With a shaky exhale, the were-beast rose to his feet, kicking off his boots and awkwardly approaching the thankfully-sizable cot. Kotone had made herself comfortable on the end closest to the wall, leaving a space for him to plop himself down on before promptly turning over. While she may have been out of sight, her alluring scent remained a constant reminder of her presence mere inches away from him.

As the minutes ticked on, Kotone's eyes remained open, her gaze fixed on the one exposed flame flickering above his ear, its dim light dancing calmingly along the hut's icy walls. She shyly scooted closer, wrapping her arms around him and making him jump.

"You're mad at me, aren't you?"

"No! Not at all!" he denied truthfully, turning over to face the human who, to his horror, now looked close to tears. He immediately wrapped his arms around her, leaning in and nuzzling her forehead with his own. "Why would I be mad at you? It's those damn furballs who've been pissin' me off all day!"

He instantly regretted his words.

"By the way, what did they mean by 'marked' earlier? Is it some kind of tattoo?" she inquired, gazing over the several intricate red patterns adorning his upper arms. Though the fox and rabbit beasts wore more thick layers, she'd spotted a few designs on their hands and faces earlier as well. "If it has something to do with why you've been in such a foul mood all day, I want to help. You can talk to me about anything, Ignis, so please..."

Her small hand squeezed his pleadingly as she looked him square in the eye.

"...Do we really hafta talk about this?"

"Is it something bad?"

"Well, no..." he sighed in resignation, sitting on the edge of the bed and scratching his chin awkwardly as he looked for anything else in the room other than her eyes to gaze at in that moment. The decorative ice wreath on the wall would suffice. "In this world, you're not really considered a 'couple' until you've, uh, done the deed. You don't hafta worry about it, though; it's just a customs sorta thing, and you're not from here. Everyone already knows you're mine, and any dumbass who says otherwise is in for a beatin'," he explained, the clenched fist on his lap a clear sign that he meant the last part very seriously.

"Oh..." she replied quietly, gazing down at her lap as a blush crept over her features, "T-they sure are young to be talking about such things," she noted, to which Ignis shrugged.

"Up 'til recently, it was a struggle just to survive here. They didn't have the luxury of coddlin' their young like you humans do. Hell, Kariya'd have already been out on guard duty for years at his age."

His words gave her pause. It was true; compared to Bestia and other worlds, Kotone had lived a charmed and privileged life. A life on the run with death looming around every corner wasn't something she could have even conceived of in her childhood. She'd grown up with a loving family, always had a roof over her head, never gone to bed hungry, and while her old job may have been traumatic, she suspected any beast would have gladly taken that burden for the security she'd so often taken for granted.

"Anyway, I'm beat," he lied, "We should probably hit the sack if we're gonna make it back in time tomorrow."

As he moved to settle in once again, Kotone swallowed thickly before speaking up.

"Um, Ignis? I don't mind."

"EH?" was the only reply he could muster. Surely he'd heard wrong, yet she continued.

"We've been together for a while now, and it's not like I wasn't expecting it to happen at some point. Actually, lately I've sort of been... hoping it might."

It was probably the most embarrassing thing the barista had ever admitted to, but her concern for him, along with her own growing need, emboldened her. Her red-faced confession was met with a torn expression from her beloved firewolf.

"Kotone, you got no idea how happy this makes me, but I'm not sure it's a good idea."

"Why?"

"For one thing, matin' in Bestia's, uh, how do I put it? Kinda intense."

"Intense? How so?"

It was such a broad term with many possible meanings, peaking both her anxiety and curiosity. While the two had enjoyed many a heated make out session on her bed back at Enchanté, to Kotone's dismay, the non-human always pulled away in the end, never quite reaching second base.

"The markin's both literal and figurative. When a male claims his female, it involves... bitin' her," he uttered the last part as though it physically pained him to say, "and it's an instinctive thing, so I can't say with confidence I'd be able to stop myself if I tried."

The word 'biting' brought with it a plethora of emotions that were clearly visible on her face.

"So, this biting thing... I'm guessing it's more than a little love nip."

Ignis nodded.

"From what I've heard, it draws a little blood, but nothin' even close to, you know..." He didn't need to elaborate for Kotone to understand he was referring to. Sensing and thankful for that fact, he quickly continued, "A-ANYWAY! I'm sure this whole conversation's godawful for you, so lemme make it clear: it's okay. I'm fine. We don't hafta have to go there. We _never_ hafta go there. What I did back then was unforgivable, and I'm already the luckiest guy around just havin' you by my side. I couldn't ask for more," he concluded with a sincere smile that made her heart ache.

She knew then, more than ever, that his vow when he'd embraced her on the ice as dawn broke had not been mere flowery words. He was willing to live a life of celibacy for her sake.

"Ignis..."

That single word held so much emotion, and her canid companion instantly appeared at her side, hands around her shoulders in a panic and ready to comfort her. However, she spoke first.

"I trust you, Ignis. More than anyone. After all we've been through, avoiding things like this on the off chance that it might happen again is no way to live your life; it's just another way of letting Vanar control you."

She knew it was largely for her sake. The gruesome scar on her arm would remain a permanent reminder of just how dangerous the entity that had dwelled inside him was. The world-devouring beast had taken a lot from them that night, but she would not allow it to take their future. She wasn't throwing caution completely to the wind, either. In their daily lives since Vanar's rampage, however careful she may have been, blood was an unavoidable aspect of being human. Occasional culinary mishaps were part and parcel of Kotone's work at the café, and while he'd been tactful enough not to mention it, she knew that if the non-human could sense a small cut, he had to have been aware of her cycles, too. The first time it had happened, a particularly busy afternoon when she'd nicked while herself chopping vegetables, he'd panicked, but showed no sign of the vicious impulse he had before. It was an educated gamble she was willing to take.

"I won't lie to you and say that I don't have some lingering fears myself, but they don't even come close to losing you or seeing you suffer, so..." she spoke seriously, cupping the sides of his face and forcing the flushed beast to look her directly in the eye, "Ask me for more."

It wasn't a question, but a command. Firm and resolute.

"How can you have so much confidence in me?! A-and you still dunno what you're gettin' into! What if things get outta hand and I accidentally hurt you?! What if Vanar comes back?!"

"Because I love you."

His jaw clenched within her palm, his eyes wavering along with his resolve.

"You said your wish was to dedicate your life to me, but I made a wish that day, too, didn't I?" she spoke with a tiny, mischievous smirk, leaning in closer and stroking his cheek with her thumb, "That I could _satisfy your hunger."_

With that, the final sliver of restraint he'd been desperately holding onto was shattered into a million pieces.

"...Dammit! _**Don't hate me for this!"**_

Faster than Kotone could even process it, he was on her, urgently seeking her lips and tugging at her clothing.

"Hang on! You'll tear it!" she yelped, hurrying to disrobe before her garments were torn to shreds, but mostly just thrilled that he'd finally let loose. And boy, did he let loose. It was as if a switch had been flipped. His molten eyes were dilated, the flames on his head and tail flickered brighter than usual, and a thin sheen of sweat had begun to appear over his furrowed brow.

 _"Hurry,"_ he breathed raggedly against her, licking her lips and cheeks while she hastily rid herself of the last of her outerwear. Even his voice sounded deeper in this state, and while it wasn't turning out to be the slow, sensual encounter she'd often fantasized, seeing her beloved beast overtaken with such desperate need for her was somehow more exciting, and even a little contagious.

The second her outerwear was off, he descended on her bare neck, inhaling deeply near her earlobe and lapping hungrily at the delicate skin.

"Fuck. You smell amazin', Kotone. I can't even think straight," he murmured, continuing to sniff her thoroughly. She didn't wear perfume or any similar products, so it admittedly confused her a little.

"Maybe it's, _hah!_ S-soap? I'm not wearing anything special..." she spoke, squirming as his large, clawed hands helped themselves to her still-covered breasts.

"It's you," he replied simply, leaning in to intermittently lap and sniff her exposed cleavage while attempting to push aside the cursed cups covering the rest.

"Me?!"

"Dammit, what is this thing?!" he snarled at the lacy white bra as though it were an enemy, and before she was able to unhook it, he tore it off in a single, easy movement, earning a surprised squeak from the now-topless woman.

"Hey! I happened to like that bra, you know!"

"I'll buy ya a new one," he muttered against her dismissively, engulfing one newly-exposed breast in his hot mouth while his calloused palm claimed the other. An inhuman rumble, almost like a purr, was welling up from his chest, and she could feel the vibrations against her body while he suckled greedily.

"Hnn... _Ah!"_

"That's right," he encouraged, switching sides and rolling the wet, puffy nipple between his claws as he went about tugging the other with his teeth, causing the human to inhale sharply through gritted teeth.

She was starting to realize what he'd meant by 'intense'. It was definitely intense, rough and animalistic the way he'd pinned her down and gone to town on her breasts, but it was also the most amazing sensation she'd ever experienced. Her beloved firewolf who'd bested countless powerful beasts in battle, yet cried when he thought they couldn't be together, who always put on a tough guy act, but also showed a bashful side, was not being bashful at all now, in fact, he was completely dominating her in a way she would never have expected.

Once he'd thoroughly tortured her beasts, his eager tongue began roaming once again. When the hot, wet sensation slid across her armpit, the barista's eyes just about popped out of her head.

"Ignis! That's gross!" was her first instinct to blurt out, however, it didn't feel unpleasant; she just didn't understand why he was doing it.

"Why?" he asked in a muffled voice, clearly focused on the odd task at hand, "Thish'sh onna the besht partsh."

Perhaps it was a Bestian thing. Upon further consideration, it made some degree of sense. Scents seemed to be an integral part of how beasts related to one another, and it was certainly one of the more pungent areas of the body. He was likely picking up on pheromones imperceptible to humans. With that in mind and the initial shock worn off, though still quite embarrassed, she didn't have any particular objections.

"I-I see..."

Grateful for both Bestia's frigid climate and the fact that she'd showered that morning, Kotone raised her arm curiously, allowing him to bury his snout further into what was generally regarded as one of the least desirable, and to some, even shameful parts of the human body. Seeing it licked, sniffed and practically worshiped with the exact same urgency he had her beasts was an almost surreal experience that eventually had her heart fluttering, and left her feeling lighter somehow.

Once he was satisfied, the burly firewolf moved on to the next spots of interest, including her inner elbows and wrists. As if he were following an invisible trail, Ignis was thoroughly engrossed in his inspection, and the barista, in turn, found herself absorbed in watching him. In the rush of things, she hadn't had much of a chance to admire her beast, so she made sure to take the chance to ogle him while she could. The jagged scars on his taut belly were always obvious, but upon closer inspection, countless smaller ones of varying shapes and sizes littered his muscular form, a testament to his many battles. Unsurprisingly, his pants were tented conspicuously at this point, and his face was flushed, but what caught her attention the most in that moment was, oddly enough, his tail, which was raised high and flicking at the tip. She'd known the non-human long enough to observe how the fiery appendage's movements and posture would correlate with his moods; drooping when he was low, swaying back and forth when he was pleased, and occasionally wagging when he was especially giddy, but this was a phenomenon she'd never witnessed before.

With the rest of her body apparently having passed his very thorough sniff test, Ignis looped his clawed thumbs around the waistband of Kotone's panties, slipping them off in one swift motion and, much to her relief, not wrecking them as he had her bra. The sight, and scent, that greeted him made his mouth water.

"Heh. I don't even need scent to know how bad you want me; you're practically droolin' down here," he noted in a pleased tone, wasting no time prying her legs apart and burying his face in her folds.

"I-Ignis!"

His sudden faceplant into her crotch was jarring to say the least, but that tongue of his quickly put an end to any thoughts of propriety or embarrassment. While not enough to burn her, even when not using his powers, his body temperature was still much hotter than a human's, and this was especially true of his tongue. In the otherwise-chilly hut, thin wisps of steam rose and swirled around in the air between Kotone's legs where he lapped at her, adding to what was already quite an erotic view for her.

He was in bliss. That was the only way to describe the non-human's current state as he eagerly took in all she had to offer, from the sweet nectar dripping onto his waiting tongue, to the heady, maddening scent centered in the chestnut curls above that he inhaled deeply as though it were a drug. Once all that had collected on the soft, pink petals had been licked clean, he desperately slid his tongue inside her.

"More. Give me more," he growled, pushing as far in as he could and earning a squeal from the woman above him.

The combination of vibrations from his voice and slick, searing muscle swirling within her had left Kotone unable to reply; all she could do was grasp his fiery locks and wrap her legs around his broad shoulders. Whether the action was to encourage him or beg him to slow down, she didn't know; all she did know was that an intense pressure was coiling low in her belly at alarming speed.

"I can't- _Ngh!_ **Oh, God!"**

His wish was soon granted as she tightened and convulsed around his waiting tongue, bathing it in her essence as he greedily lapped up the spoils of her release.

Before she could even recover from her climax, she became aware of the sound of fabric rustling and falling to the floor beside her. A little nervous, but mostly curious, Kotone couldn't help but take a look at what she'd be working with. Framed by a generous amount of wiry red locks, it didn't seem terribly different than a human's. The head was more pointed, and there appeared to be a slight bulge near the base of the shaft, but the thing of most note was undoubtedly...

"O-oh, wow. It's, um... pretty big?" she stammered, not wanting to offend, but unable to keep the words from leaving her lips. At least by human standards, he was quite well-endowed, so much so that she found herself questioning whether or not it would even fit.

Judging by the immediate smug grin and wag of his tail her observation evoked, it was safe to say that he'd taken her timid observation as a compliment.

"Ready?" he asked, nuzzling her face reassuringly before she nodded the affirmative, and he promptly flipped her over.

"Wha?!"

"Hn? Y'okay?"

"Oh, no, I-I'm fine," she stammered, looking back at the non-human who'd readied himself behind her, "I guess this position just surprised me a little, hahah..."

"Oh. 'Kay... Uh, could you stick your ass up a little?"

Kotone's face cycled through every possible shade of red as she obliged his request. On second thought, perhaps this was the best position.

"Nng!"

"Does it hurt?" he asked worriedly through gritted teeth, pausing even as his instincts screamed against it, and the human shook her head.

"It doesn't hurt; it's just, how do I put this... A lot," she squeaked the last part against her pillow.

"Heh," he exhaled shakily with a strained grin, slowly pushing in further.

Kotone gripped the sheets until her knuckles turned white as she was filled inch by inch with his thick length. Her breath hitched as she felt the girthiest part, the bulge near the base, pop inside her, and the head press against her cervix, before finally sighing in relief. Her moment of rest didn't last long, however, as two muscular, tattooed arms suddenly appeared at her sides, and hot breath, followed by a familiar, searing tongue, was felt against her neck.

"Ignis...? Gah!"

He'd held out as long as he could, but it seemed the were-beast was once again back in full-on rutting mode as his hips began colliding with hers.

"Fuck, fuck, _**fuck!"**_ he snarled against her neck, whether in pleasure of frustration with himself, she wasn't sure, but the desperate, gravely tone was heaven to her ears. It sent shivers down her spine and made her clench up around him, drawing out more feral sounds that resounded in the small hut of ice until he quieted himself by focusing on her neck.

While initially uncomfortable, Kotone was quickly growing used to, no, more like addicted to the feeling of his scorching cock gliding in and out of her. When her pleasured mewls reached the Bestian's pointed ears, a wave of relief washed over him, and a fanged grin finally graced his flushed face.

"Ig- _NN_ gh! Hah!" she wailed, feeling a pleasant electric current run through her as he reached below to squeeze her breasts and give her nipples a few good, hard flicks. Now that her pleasure was obvious, both by sound and by scent, he was quickly growing bolder. His thoughts were starting to run wild, and with his initial anxiety quelled, he had no qualms about acting on them.

"You're mine. You're mine and I fuckin' love it," he half-panted, half-chuckled above her.

Ignis continued lapping his hot tongue against her, paying particular attention to the junction between her neck and shoulder. He could feel himself slipping further into this strange yet not unpleasant state. Images of the woman below him, heavily pregnant with many of his pups, flooded through his mind and egged him on as the sound of flesh slapping together reverberated off the icy walls.

"I'm gonna knock you up so good," he growled against her ear, slamming into and grinding against her when he bottomed out.

While thoroughly engrossed in the moment herself, Kotone managed to let out a small giggle through her own heavy pants at the unexpected but adorable outburst. She was on the pill, so she'd unfortunately have to rain on that particular little parade later, but the fact that Ignis was so worked up that he was saying such things gave her a thrill nonetheless.

"Oh y- _ah!_ Yeah?" she challenged, looking back at him with a playful smirk that earned her a particularly rough, deep thrust that had her seeing stars, and unconsciously raising her hips to meet his own.

"Look at you, pushin' back on me like you're in heat," he noted with a wicked grin, drinking in the tantalizing view of Kotone's supple hips and backside pressing into him over and over, swallowing his thick cock with ease, "You love bein' bred."

While he thoroughly enjoyed seeing her take the initiative, after a while, her own movements weren't enough. With a soothing lick to her back and whisper of praise in her ear, he grabbed a hold of her hips, taking the reins once again. To her surprise, she soon felt the hot, feather-light sensation of her clitoris being teased in time with his thrusts, but as both clawed hands were firmly guiding her movements, it took her a moment to realize it was not his hands, but his fiery tail flicking against the swollen nub with purpose.

"I-Ignis! _Ah!"_ she cried out, teetering on the edge of release, "I can't take it! **_Hah!_** I feel like I'm losing my mind!"

"Do it," he commanded with a wicked grin, rewarding her desperate plea by speeding up the movements of both his hips and tail, "Lose it and cum all over my dick."

As if obeying his words, her walls clenched tightly, spasming around him while her body convulsed, and her eyes rolled back in her head.

"Mine."

It was a single word, but it made her heart skip a beat.

"From now on," he continued, "Kotone Awaki is mine."

"These lips are mine," he panted, sliding a thick, clawed finger into her mouth.

"And this," he growled against her, burying himself in her to the hilt, "is _**mine."**_

"Yours," she assured tenderly, giving his arm an encouraging squeeze before gasping as his open mouth descended upon her neck with purpose.

The tips of his fangs sank into the tender flesh as a low, guttural rumble erupted from deep within his chest, so much so that she could feel its vibration clearly against her bare back. There was a twinge of pain, but it wasn't intolerable, and absolutely nothing like that dreaded night. Oddly enough, it seemed to heighten her senses, prompting her to clench around him as he went to work lapping at the two tiny, fresh wounds. His tongue, that wonderful, scorching tongue, soon reduced the initial sharp prick to a dull ache, which eventually faded into a tingling sensation that was almost pleasant. As for Ignis, the small amount of Kotone's blood, the forbidden ambrosia that once served as the catalyst for Vanar's awakening, did not awaken the cruel, devouring entity he'd so feared. Instead, it urged him to give in to a different, though no less primal, instinct: to make her his. All of her. To fill her with his seed and let everyone know, from then on, that this wonderful human belonged to none other than Ignis Carbunculus.

"Hn?"

A strange sensation began to spread within her. It almost felt like he was growing bigger. No, he definitely was. _Significantly_ bigger, stretching her inner walls to their absolute limit as they struggled to accommodate the strange transformation occurring within them.

_"Nngh!"_

Kotone gritted her teeth at the sweet burn of her body being reshaped to his. Pain and pleasure swirled and melded together until they were no longer distinguishable from one another as a generous amount of his thick, hot essence was pumped into her womb, and her body was wracked with her third, and by far most powerful, orgasm of the night.

Ignis clung to Enchanté's owner tightly from above as his body twitched, emptying himself into her before falling to the side with the still-convulsing human cradled protectively in his arms.

"Holy shit..." he croaked out in a raspy voice, panting heavily as the tremors wracking his mate's body subsided, "You okay, Kotone?"

"That was... intense," she exhaled, sounding exhausted but deeply satisfied, much to the firewolf's relief.

"Told ya."

Kotone didn't need to turn around to know how he looked in that moment. She knew him well enough to _hear_ the arrogant, fang-bearing smirk. As the high of her release settled, she became aware of a strange sensation in her lower body, but was met with resistance when she moved to sit up and inspect it.

"Ye _ **EEK?!**_ Hey, hey, hey, Kotone! Settle down!" he yelped, grasping her hips firmly to keep her lower half still, "You try'na rip your guts out or what?!"

"What is going on down there?! Why does it feel so... _different_ all of a sudden?!"

"Uh... 'Cuz we're knotted, obviously...?"

Obviously? The way he said it made it sound like the most natural thing in the world. Considering he was from another world, it likely was, but that didn't make it any less bizarre to the frazzled woman in his grasp.

"...Come again?"

"Knotted. Tied together. Stuck. What, do humans not normally do this?"

"T-they most certainly do not!"

"Eh?! How the hell does that work?"

"P-pardon?!"

"Wouldn't it just, y'know... spill out otherwise?"

By all the worlds, she was not ready for this conversation. Actually, she would never be ready for this conversation, and so, making a mental note to procure a human anatomy book for him at some point in the future...

"IT 'WORKS' JUST FINE! ANYWAY, CAN WE _PLEASE_ CHANGE THE TOPIC? How long does... _this_ last?"

"Fine by me," he relented with a smirk. Though he was genuinely curious and found the flustered barista adorable, he knew when not to press his luck, and being tied to his mate was definitely such a time. "And it varies. Thing's not exactly set to a timer, but usually ten minutes, give or take."

"Oh. That's not too long, I guess..." she replied, sounding almost disappointed now that the initial shock had worn off.

"More like not long enough. It feels amazin' bein' inside you," he murmured tiredly, nuzzling the crook of her neck as his chest rumbled with contentment, apparently still feeling pleasure.

His bare body hot and flush against her own, the sensation of being full to the brim, while their initial joining had been rough and heated, there was something decidedly tender and intimate about this phase. She could barely tell where her own body ended and Ignis's began. His ankle was hooked over her own, curling under her sole and occasionally pressing his toes against it, his wispy tail had curled itself around her hips and legs, his arm was wrapped was around her protectively, rubbing his palm soothingly over her abdomen, and his tongue lapped affectionately against the back of her neck, all while she felt his heartbeat thrumming both against and within her.

The pelt had long since been abandoned at the foot of the cot, yet Kotone wasn't shivering; to the contrary, she was toasty warm in his embrace. As the pair basked in the afterglow, he seemed to pay special attention to the two small marks he'd left in the heat of their joining.

"Does it hurt bad?" he asked worriedly. For a mating mark, he'd been remarkably gentle, but she was still a human; much more fragile than his kind. The joy and immense relief he felt when he gazed upon the small reddened dots that now bound them together was undeniable, but the fact that he'd allowed himself to succumb to his baser instincts once again left him feeling exceedingly guilty.

A gentle palm came to rest against his head, caressing one of his flames as best as she could given their current positions.

"Hardly at all," she replied, only even aware of the slight dull pain because he'd mentioned it, "It's just a little sore. Actually, I was expecting way worse."

"That's good," he exhaled in relief before nuzzling into her again.

"So this means everyone will know..." she tapered off, blushing slightly at the thought.

"That you're mine? Yep."

He didn't even try to hide the proud, contented tone in his reply.

"Well don't you sound pleased with yourself?" she teased as he nuzzled against her.

"Damn right. After all that happened, of all the women in all the worlds out there, I ended up mated to the most amazin' one. Of course I'd wanna show her off."

Despite their smug tone, Kotone couldn't help but smile at his words of praise. Now more than ever, she felt safe, warm and cherished in Ignis's muscular arms, so much so that slumber overtook her before the knot subsided.

Ignis was on cloud nine as he held the sleeping human close, and it had little to do with the residual pleasure of the knot.

* * *

Just as Ignis had warned of, the pair awoke quite a bit later than planned the next day, however, neither could bring themselves to be bothered by it, or even the countless congratulations, cheers and wishes for healthy children showered upon them by the villagers as they saw them off.

"Ig...nis! Kotone! Mark!" Kororo bellowed happily from the entrance of the settlement as the two figures grew smaller in the distance.

The redhead slung an arm around his blushing mate, looking over his shoulder a final time and flashing the pakus a bright, arrogant smile.

**Author's Note:**

> And now... Ignis!
> 
> The whole people-munchies thing aside (did anyone else think they'd accidentally run into a bad end in chapter three? BECAUSE WOW, I SURE DID) I freaking adored this man. He's the exact sort of tsundere I can't get enough of.
> 
> I don't usually veer too much into the rougher side of things for lemons, so I was admittedly worried whether I handled it alright or not. I figured of the non-humans, Bestians were probably the most carnal and instinct-driven, and the idea of certain fantasy species going into that primal state in a consensual context where their partner is aware and agrees to it has always kind of been a concept I liked.


End file.
